1975 Chevy Bel Air PAH - Project American Heroes, Part 6: The Big Top

We Don't Need No Stinkin' Camouflage!

The Roadster Shop body and paint crew block-sanded Project American Heroes using a skim coat of filler and House of Kolor KP2CF Kwikure Epoxy Primer/ Surfacer. The KP2CF Primer/Surfacer eliminates the need for an etching primer and features strong adhesion, fast build and ease of sanding (wet or dry).

When Project American Heroes began, multiple 1957 chevy convertible renderings were proposed by eric Brockmeyer. eric's renderings amazed me. Working with various color schemes, interior themes, and wheel designs, he presented the PAH team with a number of possibilities for the final version of the cars inc./roadster shop drop-top that would be auctioned off at Barrett/Jackson with proceeds going to the Armed Forces Foundation.

The renderings were made available online (www.projectamericanheroes. org) so that our military personnel could vote for their favorite version of the '57. As votes came in, two front runners emerged: the "Down and Dirty" green car with 210 trim, and the "Dress Blues" blue 210 with the airbrushed flag in the quarter trim. Though neck and neck for a time, a late surge of votes resulted in the blue car being declared the winner. As a result, House of Kolor Majik Blue Pearl is now the color of choice for the Smeding Performance big-block- powered Tri-Five.

3/33

Roadster Shop painter extraordinaire Chad Sturges applies even pressure to the 3M P180-grit paper to block-sand the panels to perfection. The panels are ultimately block-sanded to a 400-grit surface before applying the White Ko-Seal II Primer Sealer.

Seeing the deep and captivating pearl color on the car certainly explains the results of the election. When it became clear that the voting had created a two-horse race, I was secretly pulling for the green car-I've never seen a '57 that has that "Chicayne"-style, all-business look.

Yet, my favorite rendering was neither the blue nor the green variation. I was smitten with the tan/black twotone car with the 150 trim. That camo combo with the 150 trim is tough. Brockmeyer came up with a winner on that one-why didn't anyone ever think of that tan and black combo before? I could easily picture John Wayne at some desert military base swagger up to this camouflaged convert, throw his briefcase on the front seat, blow through the security stop, and slither off into the Nevada horizon.

4/33

The door is also wiped down with wax and grease remover.

Bottom line, paint them any color you want, but start building America's hot rod. Build it resale red for the peace of mind of having broad appeal and marketability. Go with the allbusiness, down and dirty green-you might have the only one in existence, especially if you go with the funky redline tires. A white car will turn up, but will it be sporting the Coast Guard stripe? Only time will tell. My hunch is that when our Project American Heroes hits the road, we'll know that the Majik Blue Pearl was the only way to go for this very special 1957 Chevrolet.

MORE PHOTOS

VIEW FULL GALLERY

xclose

1975 Chevy Bel Air PAH - Project American Heroes, Part 6: The Big Top

The Roadster Shop body and paint crew block-sanded Project American Heroes using a skim coat of filler and House of Kolor KP2CF Kwikure Epoxy Primer/ Surfacer. The KP2CF Primer/Surfacer eliminates the need for an etching primer and features strong adhesion, fast build and ease of sanding (wet or dry).

Roadster Shop painter extraordinaire Chad Sturges applies even pressure to the 3M P180-grit paper to block-sand the panels to perfection. The panels are ultimately block-sanded to a 400-grit surface before applying the White Ko-Seal II Primer Sealer.

The door is also wiped down with wax and grease remover.

House of Kolor directs the painter to mix the Ko-Seal II Primer/Sealer in the following manner: 4 parts Ko-Seal II, 1 part KU150 Catalyst and 1 part one of their "RU-" reducers. At the Roadster Shop, the RU-311 Medium Dry Reducer is used.

House of Kolor was founded in 1956 by world-renowned custom painter, Jon Kosmoski. House of Kolor provided the paint system for Project American Heroes. Repeated use of the letter "K" points to the legendary founder of HOK.

House of Kolor Ko-Seal II is a high-quality primer/sealer that's designed to act as a bond coat between primer and topcoats. Ko-Seal II also acts as a holdout agent to prevent topcoats from soaking into the primer and reducing gloss.

It is imperative to stay with the entire House of Kolor product line for their Kosmic Kolor Urethane Enamel system. The range of Kosmic Reducers offered for the Kosmic Kolor Urethane Enamel & Shimrin Universal Bases are the RU300 Exempt, RU310 Fast Dry, RU311 Medium Dry, RU312 Slow Dry, RU313 High Temp.

Wax and Grease remover is applied for final prep prior to applying Ko-Seal II primer/sealer.

In order to make the panels an appropriate color for faster coverage of the topcoats, Cobalt Blue Kandy Koncentrate Intensifier is added to the Ko-Seal II Primer Sealer.

Kosmic Reducer choice is dependent on the following three factors: 1) size of object being painted, 2) shop temperature and humidity, and 3) air movement within the spray booth.

After the Ko Sealer II has dried for at least an hour (but not longer than three hours), the PBC 37 Majik Blue Pearl will be applied in order to reproduce the most popular "Blue" rendering chosen through the website voting process.

Shimrin Majik Blue Pearl and RU-311 mix is poured into the gun cup.

Splitting or cracking may occur when painting too fast without allowing proper dry time, or by applying the base too wet and heavy.

The paint is mixed one part Shimrin basecoat and one part RU-311 reducer.

Gun distance while spraying should be approximately 6 inches. Apply 2-3 medium coats with 75 percent pattern overlap. Chad walks back and forth in even passes of the gun, and does not spray for complete coverage on the first coat.

HVLP gun pressure is set at 10 psi at the cap. Trigger pull is about 50-75 percent.

Used in both the base and clearcoats, the House of Kolor Kosmic Reducers allow for excellent spray-ability, good flow out and leveling, fast staged release, and retention of gloss when dry.

Stepping out of the paint booth, we find the Roadster Shop crew prepping the chassis for final paint.

Chad allows the first coat to flash, somewhere around 10 or 15 minutes, and then steps back into the booth for the second coat of base.

Sturges mixes up another batch of Majik Blue Pearl for the third coat of base.

Kosmic Polyurethane Klear UC-35 is used to topcoat the Shimrin basecoats. UC-35 features excellent gloss and what House of Kolor calls "Distinctness of Image."

The House of Kolor Shimrin Base will dry dull and should feel dry to the touch before the next coat is applied.

The third coat produces a deeper, slightly darker shade, which looks great already, even prior to the Klear.

KU150 Catalyst is poured into the UC-35. KU150 is a multi-purpose catalyst for urethane finishes. It is used in the KO-SEAL II Primer Sealers, UC35, and UFC35 Kosmic Klears.

The RU-311 reducer is mixed with the Kosmic Klear.

First coat Klear on the door produces a good measure of depth and gloss.

The second coat of the UC35 has been applied. The UC35 dries fast and hard and may be colored, sanded and buffed the next day.

There is significant increase of depth and gloss in the second coat of Klear as it is applied to the panels.

The first coat Klear UC-35 is sprayed on the fender. It has good chemical, fuel and water resistance, and excellent weathering and ultraviolet resistance.

Three coats of base and two coats of clear bring about a deep custom look. There's plenty more Majik Blue Pearl that needs to find a home on Project American Heroes before it debuts at SEMA.

This 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible is the Project American Heroes car, built in tribute to America's veterans, and is being improved by CARS Inc. with a Roadster Shop frame, Heidt's suspension, SSBC brakes, Flaming River rack and pinion steering, and a Moser rearend - Super Chevy Magazine » Read More

This 1969 Chevy Camaro coupe is the 2008 Project American heroes car and we begin the build process by prepping the shell and installing body panels, doors, and trunk lid - Super Chevy Magazine » Read More